Stick Sports - Blogs http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/ en Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:02:32 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.sticksports.com/smoothred/misc/rss.jpg Stick Sports - Blogs http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/ Torii Hunter in sympathy http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/elvenamerican/torii-hunter-sympathy-796/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:55:09 GMT Just got a quick update about something that went on yesterday....courtesy of mlb.com (http://www.mlb.com): Torii Hunter... Just got a quick update about something that went on yesterday....courtesy of mlb.com:

Torii Hunter regrets his words:

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Angels center fielder Torii Hunter reacted with dismay on Wednesday when he heard about a newspaper story focusing on race in baseball that contained a quote casting him in an unfavorable light.
"That's not me," he said, shaking his head as he read the story several hours later in the home clubhouse at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
The USA Today article featured a quote in which Hunter, during a recent roundtable discussion of the diminishing ranks of black athletes in baseball, called Latin Americans "imposters" in relation to black ballplayers.
"I feel it's important to set the record straight on quotes that were attributed to me," Hunter said. "I am hurt by how the comments went off the track and misrepresented how I feel.
"My whole identity has been about bringing people together, from my neighborhood to the clubhouse. The point I was trying to make was that there is a difference between black players coming from American neighborhoods and players from Latin America.
"We all come from different places and backgrounds. Coming from Pine Bluff, Ark., my hometown, is no different than being a kid from San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic. We all share the common bond of a love of baseball, and it pulls us together on the field and in the clubhouse."
In the USA Today quote that stirred controversy, Hunter said: "People see dark faces out there, and the perception is that they're African-American. They're not us. They're imposters.
"Even people I know come up and say, 'Hey, what color is Vladimir Guerrero? Is he a black player?' I say, 'Come on, he's Dominican. He's not black."
Asked about that quote, Hunter said: "What troubles me most was the word 'impostors' appearing in reference to Latin American players not being black players. It was the wrong word choice, and it definitely doesn't accurately reflect how I feel and who I am.
"What I meant was they're not black players; they're Latin American players. There is a difference culturally. But on the field, we're all brothers, no matter where we come from, and that's something I've always taken pride in: treating everybody the same, whether he's a superstar or a young kid breaking into the game. Where he was born and raised makes no difference."
Hunter discussed the situation via telephone with Commissioner Bud Selig.
"Torii Hunter called me today and we had a very good, constructive conversation about a number of topics," said Selig. "Torii has worked with Major League Baseball on minority initiatives and is very passionate about this issue. We agreed to meet again in the near future to continue our dialogue on this important subject."
Reds manager Dusty Baker, a member of the panel, said he heard no such exchange during the discussion.
"I must have left, because I didn't hear it at all," Baker said. "I know Torii was probably trying to make light of the situation -- and that's not Torii Hunter, how it came out in print.
"He's one of the most respected players around the game by everyone in the game. All I know is that whatever way it came out, I refuse to believe Torii believes that. He's a unifier. He's always treated everybody the same, with respect. That's one of the reasons why he has such a great reputation in the game, along with the way he competes."
Through the Torii Hunter Project and a wide range of fund-raisers, Hunter -- winner of the 2009 Branch Rickey Award for humanitarian service off the field -- has contributed time and resources to his passion of creating more opportunities for youth to play baseball and develop an appreciation of the sport.
"I love the game," Hunter said. "It's changed my whole life, given me a great life. And it's important to me to spread the message to kids that the game can teach them so much and give them so much.
"I was a football player as a kid. Football was my life where I grew up. But people like Scipio Spinks, who pitched in the Major Leagues and saw me play, and my grandfather were able to convince me that I could have a long career in baseball and not tear up my body.
"I am grateful I listened to them and followed this path. Now I'm dedicated to spreading the word to other young kids. This is dear to my heart, which is why I'm so hurt that people might take it the wrong way.
"I'll continue to do the things I've always done in trying to inspire as many young kids, in every community I can reach, to get involved in this great game."



That's all for now....more for later tonight! See you then!:good: ]]> ElvenAmerican http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/elvenamerican/torii-hunter-sympathy-796/ AFL set to introduce tough new drug rules. http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/pav_001/afl-set-introduce-tough-new-drug-rules-795/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:30:04 GMT The AFL has announced plans to store players blood and urine samples long-term in the midst of upgraded procedures to discourage drug cheats. ... The AFL has announced plans to store players blood and urine samples long-term in the midst of upgraded procedures to discourage drug cheats.

Samples will be kept on ice for eight years in the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) deep freeze facility, known as The Tank.

AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said it raised the risk of individuals being stripped of awards, such as the Brownlow Medal, or a team being stripped of a premiership, if they were later found to have used banned substances.

The AFL will also be the first Australian sporting code to blood test its athletes for performance-enhancing drugs Human Growth Hormone.

ASADA acting chief executive Richard Ings said the AFL’s new program, which will cost about $500,000 a year, controlled every part his agency wanted and set the pattern for other Australian sporting codes and athletes.

Ings had also told the media on how ASADA considers the new AFL drug policy to be the best of any anti – doping programs in Australian sport.

Almost 1,000 tests will be conducted this year, including target-testing where necessary.

“Performance-enhancing drugs are a massive threat worldwide to different sports and their integrity,” Anderson said.

“We’re determined to stay ahead of the game, that’s why we’re entering into this agreement.

“We don’t want … the integrity of our sport threatened by performance-enhancing drugs, we’re determined to take every step we can to prevent that happening.”

Anderson said the freezing of samples, together with ASADA powers to uncover violations through investigative methods other than testing, meant that even if drug cheats could beat current testing technology, they were not safe.

“We’re more likely to catch someone using performance-enhancing drugs than any other sport,” he said.

“And even if you get away with something now, your sample is frozen for eight years and you’re a strong chance of being caught and exposed in the future.”
He revealed the league would remove a Brownlow from a player who was later found to have been a drug cheat at the time and a similar stance could apply towards clubs.

“May it never happen because of what we’re doing here,” he said.

“But if you had a case of any cheating, you would think about taking a premiership away, absolutely.”

The AFL has had only one player test positive to performance-enhancing drugs – former Richmond and Footscray ruckman Justin Charles – in 20 years of testing, Anderson said that they still had to be down to business with the policy.

I believe that the punishments that will come with the new policy are extremely fair. Hopefully this does scratch out cheating from the AFL.

Discuss here! ]]> Pav_001 http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/pav_001/afl-set-introduce-tough-new-drug-rules-795/ More Pakistani Problems http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/kirby/more-pakistani-problems-794/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:57:47 GMT Just when you think Pakistan cricket's internal problems couldn't get any worse, this happens; the obviously jaded and fed up Pakistan Cricket Board has come out and handed down punishments to 7 of its key players in the aftermath of the recently unsuccessful tour of Australia.

Of the 7 players in question, former captain Younis Khan and (until recently) current captain Mohammad Yousuf have been given what seems to be a life ban for representing their country after their infighting over the tour; Shahid "The Fang" Afridi and Kamran Akmal have both been fined 3 million rupees and been placed on a 6 month probationary period, Afridi for ball tampering and Kamran for stating in a press conference before the Hobart Test that he would be picked (he wasn't); Umar Akmal has also been placed on probation, but only fined 2 million rupees for feigning injury before the Hobart Test in protest of the treatment of his brother; and Rana Naved ul-Hasan and Shoaib Malik have both been fined 2 million rupees and been suspended from the Pakistan national team for a year for undisclosed actions on tour.

The PCB has made this seemingly tough decision under the guise of it "arresting the continuing decline of Pakistan cricket and improving the state of cricket in Pakistan", which on the surface seems like quite a rational decision. But I don't think this move will do anything in the slightest to improve the landscape of Pakistan cricket.

First of all, despite taking action against senior players and seemingly having the best intentions, the PCB is still showing signs of double standards towards its superstars. Think really hard about the incidents that each player has been cited for. I think we're all in agreement that The Fang's imbecilic biting of the ball is the worst, and yet he cops one of the lighter punishments. Now contrast Afridi's actions with Younis Khan. Having seemingly retired from representing his country prior to the Australian tour, Younis was all but begged by the PCB to come out of retirement and add some much-needed respectability to the Pakistan side, something which he reluctantly agreed to. And now he's being made a major scapegoat for a tour he was not totally a part of. If anyone should be shouldering the blame for Younis, it is the PCB who asked him to return in the first place. All this stems from The Fang being the supposedly indispensable superstar, and Younis and now rival Mohammad Yousuf being the ageing players in the side. While this favouritism still exists in Pakistan cricket, none of this "continuing decline" will be arrested.

But perhaps the most important aspect of this PCB blunder is that they are distancing some of their most important players. Yousuf and Younis are Pakistan's best batsmen since the retirement of Inzamam ul-Haq, and Shoaib Malik is a former captain who's experience should not be taken lightly. Not only do these players bring some much needed experience to a fragile, underperforming batting lineup, but they add experience around which a successful Test side needs to build around.

And those were just the former captains. Rana Naved is Pakistan's most experienced and second-best bowler at the moment, while Kamran, Umar, and Afridi seem to be players around which the PCB seem to want to establish a player core, but who have now been publically humiliated and subsequently alienated by their country's cricket board.

Although it may seem like it, I am for no second suggesting that action was not necessary against some of these players. The Akmal brothers definitely deserved a wake up call, as did The Fang, while perhaps it should have been suggested to Mohammad Yousuf that captaincy maybe wasn't his gig, and Younis Khan would have been better served by being allowed to retire in peace.

But the lessons these players (some now former players) are about to learn after their public humiliation would not have been taught any worse had the PCB simply had a team meeting telling each of them to pull their heads in, with one-on-one meetings for the more serious incidents, during which were handed out fines, and, in Afridi's case, a suspension. The public nature of the punishments has and will only serve to alienate the players and breed animosity to the board, something that will not be confined to the players in question in this particular matter.

This was a terrible move by the PCB, and one which will only serve to dig even deeper the hole that is Pakistan cricket at the moment. ]]> kirby http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/kirby/more-pakistani-problems-794/ Start your engines folks http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/jawsey/start-your-engines-folks-793/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:34:10 GMT In roughly a day or so’s time at the time of writing, 24 engines are going to be fired up in Bahrain. 24 men, who have spent the winter training and... In roughly a day or so’s time at the time of writing, 24 engines are going to be fired up in Bahrain. 24 men, who have spent the winter training and preparing themselves to the limit for this, will step into their cars. They will grip the wheel, ready to deal with up to 3Gs in places as they rocket around a racing circuit at well beyond 100mph. Yes folks, this weekend Formula 1 season hits town with one heck of a bang.

Not since the 1980s have we had so many race and championship winning drivers in so many top teams. In the red corner we have the Ferrari juggernaut, that unstoppable force that seems to win no matter what opposes it. They gave up halfway through 09 to go for the jugular this season (almost doing a Brawn in essence) and along with Massa, who has returned from a horror smash to the skull last seasonwith no damage to his talent, they have recruited a certain Fernando Alonso, possibly the best driver on the 2010 grid. He is desparate to have a fantastic season, after the McLaren implosion in 07 and two distinctly average seasons in Renault. Oh how he must clamour for a third title.




In the silver corner, we have the stalwarts McLaren. The car has looked a shade faster in testing than others, and both cars will contain the most recent World Champions. The seasoned and silky smooth WC Jenson Button, who can’t wait to take on Hamilton on what is really his home turf, and prove to his many doubters that he has what it takes to truly mingle with the best. And of course there is the man himself Lewis Hamilton, the super-star who has rocketed to success in F1, and will want to fight for the title in a far more competitive car this season. The “best of the Brits” battle will be fantastic to watch



In the other silver corner comes the Mercedes-formely-known-as-Brawn. Separating from McLaren and now going in solo, they have the bones of last year’s championship-winning car to work from, plus no less than the 7-time champion Michael Schumacher, returned for a retirement for another late jab at glory. In an all German line-up, Nico Rosberg finally gets his hands on a decent car and a challenging team-mate. This is his season to prove he has what it takes to be the next World Champ. Mercedes have been more negative about their early season chances, but its Schumi and Brawn, back together again. Would you underestimate that?



Finally, in the dark-blue-almost-green corner there is Red Bull. They ended the season with the fastest car, and with the might of Adrian Newey their car almost certainly has to up there. Vettel is pure talent as he proved last season, albiet a little raw, and Webber has a new-found confidence and belief now he is a multiple race winner. With such a potentially dangerous car and such closely-matched team-mates, Christian Horner must be rubbing his hands with glee at the prospects of this season.



Just remember, someone out of Alonso, Massa, Button, Hamilton, Schumacher, Rosberg, Vettel and Webber will finish 8th or lower this season. It’s that good.

And that’s not even counting the other teams. Force India and Sauber both seem to have pretty quick cars. Williams look solid now leading Cosworth’s contignent of engines and Renault have good resources, a new colour scheme and Robert Kubica to look forward to, even if the car isn’t stupendously quick. Toro Rosso is sure to be about somewhere as well, they usually cause a surprise nearer the start of the season. And what about the 3 new teams on the grid, how will they cope being in at the deep end for the first time.



But truely, honestly, the best thing about this season? When the lights go out and we are racing in Bahrain this coming Sunday, no one really has any idea who will be on top. That is the most exciting prospect of all, a F1 season which, for once, is so open and fiercely competitive. Who couldn’t say no to that? ]]> Jawsey http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/jawsey/start-your-engines-folks-793/ About the updates recently.... http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/elvenamerican/about-updates-recently-792/ Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:38:26 GMT There hasn't been alot to report the last few days, I've slipped into a small drought as I stay in stealth mode and watch for anything worth reporting.

I haven't forgotten about this blog, but the past few days during Spring Training. Not alot has been worth reporting, if all fails I should have a small news update tomorrow.

Sorry in advance, and when there's nothing to report, there's really nothing I can do. I expect this to happen in the 2010 Regular Season as well. So, if it DOES occur and I update few and far between during the summer and so forth, you get the idea.

Thanks for understanding,

ElvenAmerican :good: ]]> ElvenAmerican http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/elvenamerican/about-updates-recently-792/ The Match of the Century. http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/dark_shadow_/match-century-790/ Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:06:55 GMT Recently, the media have been going nuts over the topless Lara Bingle photo scandal. Yeah, yeah, we get it. She had an affair with some boofhead... Recently, the media have been going nuts over the topless Lara Bingle photo scandal. Yeah, yeah, we get it. She had an affair with some boofhead footballer, he took a photo and sent it to his mates as you do. (No, no one is stupid or naive enough to believe he lost the phone).

Anyway, the more interesting sub-plot involves Michael Clarke bailing on the tour of New Zealand to be with his girlfriend in her time of need. Awwww. Isn't that sweet? (insert whipping noise here).

I am not a fan of Michael Clarke. At all. While I don't begrudge his right to have a hot girlfriend by any means, it generally seems like he's more interested in being in the society pages and on billboards (seriously, if I have to see his mug every time I travel down the M4, I'm gonna start taking the Great Western Highway to go to work) than on being in the sports pages.

But whatever I think of the bloke, his girlfriend has had her honour (or what's left of it) attacked. So I'm not going to debate whether his decision was right or not - The Bunyip has done that here.

No, instead I'm gonna come up with a way to get this out of the news so that we can get back to important matters (as opposed to gossip magazine bollocks).

I am usually opposed to violence. Generally this is a by-product of being one of the smallest guys in a school described as "the world's most violent zoo." That being said, sometimes violence is the best answer. Like it is with my solution.

Michael Clarke and Brendan Fevola need to have a cage match.


Think about it. If he wants to defend Lara's honour, what better way to do so than by beating down the guy who f*cked with her?

I do realise that he concedes a fair size disadvantage - have Lara (and possibly Fevola's wife, if she's keen, cause she's probably pretty pissed about this as well) provide him with assistance. You know, give him a chair and all that.

How is this not a totally rad idea?

So come on, Don King. Where the bloody hell are ya? ]]> dark_Shadow_ http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/dark_shadow_/match-century-790/ The WAG wagging the Pup http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/the-bunyip/wag-wagging-pup-789/ Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:00:44 GMT http://i48.tinypic.com/119s8dl.jpgSomething has happened to cricket over the past few years that has threatened team unity and stolen headlines away... Something has happened to cricket over the past few years that has threatened team unity and stolen headlines away from the most important aspects of the game - as it heads further and further down the road of copying football's example.

And no, I'm not talking about Twenty20.

I am talking about the odious creature known as the WAG: the admittedly easy-on-the-eye partners that have ended up hogging more of the media spotlight than their boyfriends, much like what happened to the England football team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Gilly revealed in his Book of Adam (it was bigger than the bible, really) that tensions between partners came to a head on Australia's 2005 tour of England, and there's been other examples of off-field relationship dramas affecting on-field performances since.

Mitch Johnson, of course, famously forgot how to bowl it on the square when his Mum decided to help England out by whinging about him and his (admittedly smoking hot) girlfriend to the press.

And now there's the latest story pertaining to Pup, Australia's vice-captain… and a shoe-in to replace Ricky Ponting as skipper - a job often referred to as the second most important job in the country, behind the Prime Ministership.

Clarke has upped and left the Australian team in the middle of their one-day series against New Zealand, hours before a vital game, for "personal reasons".

Usually that is code for a serious illness or bereavement, or the birth of a child - so most immediately assumed Clarke's departure was related to the health of his father, who has cancer.

Yet according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Pup's departure was to do with issues relating to his fiance - the little-known Lara Bingle, whose tatty-bo-jangles have been MMSed around the world, after a former lover - namely this dickhead of an AFL footballer - decided to spread the picture.

While that's a pretty low act, if Fevola did indeed spread the photo around, it's hard to imagine Lara is really THAT upset that it would require her to call Clarke and repeat her only contribution of any substance to Australian society: "Where the bloody hell are you?"

Topless photos have been floating around the internet of her for years (or so we're told), which is usually what happens when you elect to do some TOPLESS MODELLING.

Even if you do accept there'd be some embarrassment and humiliation to find a shower pic taken of you when you were 19 plastered around the media without your consent, she did receive a lazy $200,000 from Woman's Day for "her story".

That would be the very same magazine that invaded her privacy in the first place by publishing the picture!

So, that, everyone thought, was that. Lara had been treated poorly by a dickhead of an AFL footballer, who everyone knew was a dickhead already - still, despite the fact she'd been involved in an affair with a married man, she had the sympathy of the public.

She'd also got priceless media exposure, just days after her and her manager had attempted to re-launch her career without much success. To top it all off, she pocketed a sizeable cheque.

Yet Michael Clarke was forced to do an urgent dash back across the Tasman to support Lara at this "difficult" time.

It's not the first time Clarke has been accused of putting Lara ahead of his Australian team commitments, but it's a concerning precedent.

If he does succeed Ricky as Australia's skipper, might he need to rush home mid-Ashes tour if Bingle is upset because she can't get the DVR to record the latest episode of Neighbours?

I don't find myself agreeing with Peter Roebuck often, but he is spot on in today's Sydney Morning Herald:

However, it is no longer possible to turn the other ear and ignore the gossip and acrid gossipers. Clarke's hasty and presumably urgent trip home from New Zealand denies him the luxury of privacy. It is no small thing for a vice-captain to walk out on a team at any stage, let alone on the eve of a big match. A few days ago he was leading these same men and doing a good job by all accounts. Make no mistake, a lot is at stake, for a fine player and Australian cricket.
Fact is, Clarke is paid big money - money most of us mere mortals would only dream of - and also has the privilege of representing his country (also something us mere mortals would only dream of).

When he accepted the vice-captaincy and the Twenty20 captaincy, you commit yourself to being a key part of the team. The role will no doubt cause relationship tensions but the thought of Allan Border, Steve Waugh or Mark Taylor rushing home because the missus is upset is unthinkable.

This is, undoubtedly, a key juncture in Clarke's future: if the reports are correct in Wednesday's News Ltd papers that he's on the verge of ending the relationship, it may salvage his shot at the Aussie captaincy.

If it was simply a trip home to provide comfort for Bingle, the vice-captaincy should be handed to someone who will treat it with a bit more respect. ]]> The Bunyip http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/the-bunyip/wag-wagging-pup-789/ Spring Training Entry #2 2010 http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/elvenamerican/spring-training-entry-2-2010-788/ Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:08:15 GMT Hello everyone! A couple of items I need to focus on, which have happened this past afternoon during the course of today. One of which is the... Hello everyone!


A couple of items I need to focus on, which have happened this past afternoon during the course of today. One of which is the Phillies slugger, Ryan Howard. Has anyone happened to notice how his numbers have jumped over the past couple of seasons?

I mean, heck, this isn't a bad thing it's just abit surprising at how this young man's numbers have jumped throughout the last three to four years. The meat of the matter is this:

This man saw more breaking pitches then any other hitter last season, he saw 49 percent more breaking pitches then any other left-handed batter. He also saw left-handed pitchers 35 percent of the time more then other left-handed hitters who saw them (left-hand-pitchers) 18 percent of the time.

With other pitching numbers being he got a breaking ball 39 percent of the time, which, is 57 percent more often then any OTHER player. Which, I guess, was ALOT more then most players saw.

Don't even ask me on the right-handed numbers, because I personally don't have a clue about THAT side of the story.:offtopic:

"You don't want this guy to hurt you" said Phillies hitting coach Milt Thompson. "He's one of the best power hitters in the game. People aren't going to let him beat them".

Secondly, now:

Jon Lackey

The right-hander, who signed a five-year, $82.5 million pact to join forces with the Sox back in December, sent down all six Twins batters he faced in his first Grapefruit League contest on Saturday afternoon.

"I felt pretty good," said Lackey. "It's a good place to start from. It's always different when you have to sit down and get back up for that second inning. It's a little harder to get loose that second inning, as opposed to the first. But overall, [I felt] pretty good, and I'll keep moving forward."

One thing about Jon Lackey, I've watched him pitch as an Angel and believe me he's a VERY powerful right-hander and can really pitch well. I've seen him blow through Twins, Tigers, Athletics, White Sox, Yankees etc.

Lackey looks forward to contributing to what should be a stacked pitching rotation.

"I can definitely see that happening," Lackey said. "I'm going to be the first one on the top step, pulling for them to do great. When it comes your turn, as for those guys, you don't want to let them down, just keep the line going."

The main goal for Lackey this spring is just to stay healthy, something he wasn't able to do in his final two camps.

Still he manages to keep his composure throughout the regular season, his performance this afternoon is what was expected from him. I think he impressed the front office today, and I think the Red Sox made a fairly great trade this off-season in acquiring Lackey. God bless Los Angeles :tongueout:


Third: The Cubs-White Sox Chicago Rivalry

The first day of Daniel Hudson's Major League Baseball career was spent sitting in the bullpen at Wrigley Field on Sept. 3, taking in one of Major League Baseball's most heated rivalries known as the Cubs vs. White Sox.

One of Hudson's goals, among the many as his career progresses, was to make a start in one of these heated Chicago battles. For now, the right-hander will have to settle for a Cactus League contest before 12,712 at HoHoKam Park.

This, as a rivalry has always been great. Two classic baseball clubs, one fairly large city and fans with great personality. What more can you want, and what more of it do you need to see?

I, personally lean towards the Cubs when it comes to the rivalry because I cheer for one of the White Sox's rivals on the other side. The Detroit Tigers, which despite having a difficult season last year, I believe will make up for it this year. :lol:


Today's spring ball was fun as it usually is, and also left a smile on my face. I glanced at MLB.com's online calendar and thought "Hey, it's spring, and not too long now until opening day."


That is something, I always look forward to.

Thanks for reading today's entry, and I'll see you tomorrow night. Thank you.

Today's Grapefruit League scores:
Atlanta 0, Houston 3.
Baltimore 5, Detroit 9.
Boston (split-squad) 4, Tampa Bay 6
Minnesota 3, Boston (split-squad) 9
New York Mets 14, Washington Nationals 6
Philadelphia 3, Pittsburgh 3 (tie)
St. Louis 5, Florida 6
Toronto 9, New York Yankees 1

Today's Cactus League scores:

Los Angeles Angels 4, Oakland 2
San Francisco 12, Arizona 6
Chicago White Sox (split-squad) 15, Chicago Cubs 3
Chicago White Sox (split-squad) 8, Los Angeles Dodgers 4
Cincinnati 2, Cleveland 4
Kansas City 2, Texas 1
Seattle 7, San Diego 4
San Francisco 1, Milwaukee (SS) 12
Milwaukee (SS) 6, Colorado 8 ]]> ElvenAmerican http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/elvenamerican/spring-training-entry-2-2010-788/ Spring Training 2010 Entry #1 http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/elvenamerican/spring-training-2010-entry-1-787/ Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:28:26 GMT Hello, Hello, HELLO!:) O, the winter has past the rain has come and gone the flowers appear on the earth the singing of birds has come and the... Hello, Hello, HELLO!:)

O, the winter has past
the rain has come and gone
the flowers appear on the earth
the singing of birds has come
and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.


:welcome:to ElvenAmerican's coverage of Spring Training 2010!!!



March 4th, 2010 brought us the beginning of exhibition baseball with the Grapefruit League in Florida and the Cactus League in Arizona. This is the month all baseball fans (myself included) have been waiting for during the entire off-season.

The long and dreadful winter is finally coming to a close here in Detroit, Michigan and I've been looking forward to Spring Training action for the past couple of months now. Mainly since ol' mother nature decided to dump about 16 inches of snow on last a few weeks back (NOT FUN).


I'll get down to business persay, my thoughts of the trades made this past off-season were of note as trades from every direction were made and my focus was the Detroit Tigers. I don't necessarily approve of the Tigers moves this season, but no team is perfect when they trade. They're bound to anger a few thousand fans with every move they make during the Winter. :poke:

The Tigers opened up on March 2nd, against Florida Southern University. Well, and you ask me WHY they'd play a college team? The whole idea with the pros playing college kids is the fact that it shows these college kids what it's like playing at a professional level and it gives them more or less a good challenge for their season ahead! :proud:

OK, my thoughts on the Tiger trades this off-season. The whole deal with Curtis Granderson being traded to the New York Yankees has me upset beyond reason. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?! I mean, seriously, Granderson is one HELL of a weak bat against left handers and his power numbers are NOT something to be proud of. :confused1: I honestly have NO CLUE what the heck the Yankees were thinking when they made that trade, but, hey it's their loss when they find out he's bad against lefty pitchers.:lol:

In return, the Tigers got young and inspiring Austen Jackson and one of the relieving pitchers, Phil Coke. When I first looked at this trade, I thought it was terrible and I looked at it over the next few weeks and I realized how much value this trade had hidden within it. Sure, it's not a big trade with say A-Rod and/or Derek Jeter but it's going to be worth alot within the next 4-6 years when Jackson becomes a star player.:proud:

Upon further looks at Granderson's numbers, this year's were ok, but not something to be excited about: 8 triples, 30 HR and 71 RBI's plus 20 stolen bases. I mean, it was a good year but looking at the HR and RBI numbers it's not very good. Had he done better and played somewhat better last season, and had around 95-105 RBI's, I think he'd STILL be down in Lakeland, Florida today instead of West Palm Beach, Florida w/ the Yankee organization.:tomato:

I'll also bring up the stats and performance of Phil Coke last season w/ the Yankees and that team's run to a World Series Championship.:tongue_smilie:His season was on borderline successful, he posted a 4-3 record with the Yankees last year. He pitched 2 2/3 during the course of the 2009 postseason, seeing the most action in a appearence against the Phillies in the World Series.:ohmy:

Well, that's the all the time I have for this entry! I'll see you all tomorrow with the results of today's Spring Training games!!! See you then and take care!!:good:



All game results for the Tigers up until March 5th:

March 2nd: Detroit 13, Florida Southern U. 1
March 3rd: Detroit 7, Toronto 6
March 4th: Toronto 9, Detroit 7 ]]> ElvenAmerican http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/elvenamerican/spring-training-2010-entry-1-787/ Friday Five: Wii jerk and a kick to the balls http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/the-bunyip/friday-five-wii-jerk-kick-balls-786/ Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:10:04 GMT Shaun Tait may have called it quits from the longer form of the game to escape the pressures that go with Test cricket, but even in Twenty20 things... Shaun Tait may have called it quits from the longer form of the game to escape the pressures that go with Test cricket, but even in Twenty20 things sometimes get very, very tense. Here's the dramatic finish to the T20 involving Australia and New Zealand played during the week:


Gearing up for a weekend of FA Cup finals? I'll bet my right testicle that you won't see a goalie do this if there's even the slightest hint of a breeze:


I'd almost hope to have lost my right testicle, if I was the unlucky sod tasked with facing up to this. It hurts to watch.


My personal opinion of Today show host Karl Stefanovic is that he's a bit of a wanker. He did, however, impress me when he managed to do a live broadcast while seemingly sloshed. This time he has no excuse:


Ever spend your days at uni wishing something interesting would happen in a lecture? I never attended any, of course, but if I did I wouldn't have minded the lecturer crash tackling a chicken...


Bonus clip

Say what you will about OK GO's musical talent, they certainly have a knack for creating enthralling videos that spread faster than chlamydia. Erm, not that I know from personal experience.

YouTube- OK Go - This Too Shall Pass
See you next week! ]]> The Bunyip http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/the-bunyip/friday-five-wii-jerk-kick-balls-786/ Why This Summer of Cricket Has Been Like a Pixar Movie http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/dark_shadow_/why-summer-cricket-has-been-like-pixar-movie-785/ Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:50:33 GMT I'm gonna guess most of you have seen the 2006 Pixar movie Cars. For those who haven't, I'll explain the plot (don't spoiler me, you've had three years to see it). Hot stuff racecar Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) is the hottest young racecar out there, but he's also an arrogant prick who reckons he's a one man show. On the way to California for the big finale which will decide who wins the championship between him, arsehole rival Chick (Michael Keaton) and veteran The King (NASCAR legend Richard Petty). he gets lost and winds up in the Route 66 hick town of Radiator Springs. Cue folksy lessons about life, chilling out and mateship from the townsfolk (Paul Newman in his last role and George Carlin in one of his last being the obvious highlights) as Lightning realises that there's more to life than winning before heading for California, where Paul Newman's grumpy old legendary racecar (who left the sport after crashing fifty years ago) makes his return as his crew chief.



What does a rather corny Pixar movie have to do with cricket, you ask? Well, in some ways this Australian team have gone through a Lightning McQueen-esque time this summer. The old guard have now departed and have been replaced by a group of young guns who are even brasher, cockier and walk with the same swagger of the great Steve Waugh teams, even if they haven't quite earned it yet. However, they've destroyed all comers so far ever since returning from India, only failing to win two matches in any format all summer (once due to rain and once due to Chris Gayle playing the most inspired Test innings of his career). They went to New Zealand fully expecting to walk over the Kiwis...

...only to make hard work of the first 20/20 (aided by one of the worst LBW decisions OF ALL TIME, bar none), lose the second and throw away a very winnable first ODI.

What's going on here? Could this New Zealand tour be the Aussies' Radiator Springs?

It's not like the Kiwis are incredibly an incredibly imposing opposition. While they are a cut above the Windies and Pakistanis (and I can't believe I referred to the Black Caps as a cut above anything) they're still without one of their best bastmen in Fat Arse Ryder, have very little bowling firepower outside Bond and Vettori and a batting lineup that is heavily dependent on Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor as Martin Guptill continues to show flashes of brilliance while not putting it together often enough.

I could just be incredibly bored and trying to draw some kind of causal link with the movie I watched with my sister on Sunday and the cricket I saw yesterday as I sit around between lectures. But I like to think I'm on to something.

Mark my words; this tour is gonna be a tough one for the Aussies. Even if they can get through with series wins in the ODIs and Tests, they're gonna get severely tested. And I don't just mean their patience from the crowds, as Watson's inevitably gonna face some stick if he gets into the 90s and I can only imagine what they have planned for Clarke with the picture of his girlfriend all over the internets. They are gonna get some tough treatment on the field and have their character tested as the young guys realise that they aren't infalliblet. If they can get out of this successful in the ODIs and Tests, they'll go one step closer to reclaiming the title of number 1.

Don't be surprised to see some of them refer to this tour as a turning point in the future. ]]> dark_Shadow_ http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/dark_shadow_/why-summer-cricket-has-been-like-pixar-movie-785/ Chappell-Hadlee Trophy Preview http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/aidancdaman/chappell-hadlee-trophy-preview-783/ Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:17:29 GMT Image: http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy303/aidancdaman/NZODI2010.png *v* Image:...

v

Yarr, the ODI's are upon us. Let's just hope that dreaded rain stays away. If it does, we should have a good series on our hands. This is probably the most hotly anticipated series we've had in a long time. Napier is expecting 10,000, hopefully boosted by walk-ups, which'll make it full, Auckland is heading towards selling out both of their ODI's, Hamilton has sold 60%, and Wellington, the biggest of the grounds, will hopefully draw a big crowd also.

The New Zealand side will be on a high after a thriller, where Brendon McCullum played the innings of his life on a minuscule Lancaster Park pitch, and we'll hope to see some more of that. Scott Styris comes back into the team to provide some much-needed experience. Look for the middle order of Guptill, Taylor and Styris to be the men for the crisis. Tim Southee and Shane Bond may prove the matchwinners for the Blackcaps in the bowling area. Neil Broom is in the squad for some reason, probably to carry the drinks. Daryl Tuffey may get a game, but I would doubt his effectiveness against a mighty Australian batting line-up. There's Oram, Franklin and Vettori in the lower order, all capable of pitching in with bat and ball. How Peter Ingram will go will captivate me. Bowl wide and he may get some runs, but if the Aussies go full and straight, he might see his runs dry up like a river in the Sahara.

Australia will be boosted by the return of one Ricky Ponting, who seems to be hitting form at the right time. The Bond v Ponting tussle will captivate the minds of the trans-Tasman cricketing public, Bond having got the better of him, I think, 6 out of 10 times or so. Shane Watson provides some real run-scoring power at the top, the Allan Border medallist having enjoyed a fantastic season. Brad Haddin is likely to be his opening partner, and it's fair to say he's as capable with the bat as he is with the gloves, if not more so. Clarke, White and Hussey round out Australia's somewhat endless batting line up. I'm somewhat skeptical of James Hopes' place in the side, though we'll wait and see. Johnson, Harris and Bollinger are capable with the ball in hand, which is being modest. Then there's Hauritz, who may prove effective on the slow pitch at Wellington, and the road at Napier. While I feel Adam Voges is there to carry the bags, though Clint McKay may get a go on the faster drop-in pitch at Auckland in place of Hauritz or Hopes.

Overall, this'll be one of the clashes of the year. New Zealand will be fighting no matter what in the fashion that they usually do, though I have a sad feeling that Australia will keep coming. I'll say 3-2 to New Zealand, who according to myself and the rankings (the former being a far more credible source), have the better bowling unit. Which may just save our batting at times. Though, they can't afford to drop there game. So kick back, and enjoy one of the great sporting rivalries. ]]> aidancdaman http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/aidancdaman/chappell-hadlee-trophy-preview-783/ Another Bradman Blog http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/mted165/another-bradman-blog-782/ Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:08:15 GMT Okay, I may sound like I'm jumping on the bandwagon here, but there is just no way that anyone can say that Tendulkar was better than Bradman. It is an impossibility. And before you say "you're an Aussie," I'm not. I'm a pom. After reading Kirby and Shadow's arguments, it seems that there is no reasoned argument in favour of Bradman and a variety of arguments in favour of Tendulkar, I am putting my opinion out there for the world.

Let's begin with a quote:

"Bradman has at least five different shots to every ball that we bowl at him. Where many batsmen would be content to tap the ball back down the pitch, Bradman can hit it anywhere he chooses..." - Douglas Jardine. This isn't to indicate that a comparison can be drawn between players for how many defensive shots they play, or how many shots they play to the same ball, but that Bradman could do pretty much as he chose.

Bradman played on uncovered pitches. Now, rather than wait for some inexperienced noob to say that this makes no difference, it does. I have played on a sticky wicket for pretty much all of last season and it was a nightmare for batting. On the concrete blocks they call pitches nowerdays (the drop ins) this cannot be the case.

Bradman played through Bodyline. Larwood, Voce and others bowling at 95mph at his head. He came ou of that series averaging something like 60, which is better than most series Tendulkar plays against weaker opposition. People also say that cricket was slower in Bradman's day. Not true. Australia scoring 700 in a day must prove that.

The final argument is that Tendulkar is better in all formats, not just Tests. If you reason putting a batsman above Bradman for his Twenty20 slogging or his batting in 50 over games, get a life. Test cricket is the proving ground. Luke Wright plays more ODIs and T20s than Alastair Cook, but is he a better batsman? Not in a million years.

The author would like to apologise for an overload of Bradman. ]]> MTed165 http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/mted165/another-bradman-blog-782/ The Master and the Don http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/dark_shadow_/master-don-781/ Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:01:59 GMT By now, we all know about Sachin Tendulkar’s incredible 200. If you don’t, Google is your friend but I question what you’re doing on a cricket blog.... By now, we all know about Sachin Tendulkar’s incredible 200. If you don’t, Google is your friend but I question what you’re doing on a cricket blog.

Anyway, I think I speak for the entire cricketing world when I say kudos to the Little Master. If any cricketer deserved the record, he did. Very few batsmen in the modern age have been able to match his consistency, style and technique on the field while carrying themselves with such grace and poise off the field. All this while often carrying the hopes of more than a billion people (possibly more, if you include the Indian diaspora).

So to start off, let’s raise our glasses in a toast to Sachin Tendulkar.



However, this blog is about more, and specifically this argument that never seems to die. If you haven’t read the thread, it’s definitely an entertaining trainwreck.

Let me make one point bleedingly clear from here.

SACHIN TENDULKAR IS NOT THE GREATEST CRICKETER OF ALL TIME.

I don’t care who you are, where you’re from, whatever anyone says, Sir Donald Bradman is the greatest to ever play the game. For every statistic you can throw at me in favour of Tendulkar, I return with the biggest of them all. Specifically, 99.94 vs 55.56.

Tendulkar has 18 more centuries and 41 more fifties? He also has played 191 more test innings and doesn’t look like stopping yet.

Tendulkar has won more matches for India by himself? None of us were around during Bradman’s era, but if you can name five other members of the Australian teams from Bradman’s era who can even be considered in the same breath as him, then I’ll concede this point. Tendulkar has had Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag as partners in a batting lineup – any of those four guys can/could win matches on their own with a crap team. While the pace bowling attack has been lacking, they've had Anil Kumble and Harbhajhan who can get 20 wickets between them, especially when there's something in the pitch.


Bradman never played ODIs or 20/20 so Tendulkar whips his butt there? Agreed, but ultimately those records are meaningless when you consider Test cricket. Brendon McCullum is the leading run scorer in 20/20 internationals – does anyone other than Indian fans with ADHD give a toss? (Note that I separate the true Indian cricket fans, of which there are plenty, from the 20/20 party brigade).

Batting is tougher today? This is an argument I see often and, quite frankly, it’s utter bollocks. Bradman played in an era of uncovered pitches, and don’t tell me this makes no difference if you’ve never played on a wet, bumpy turf wicket or a grass pitch the day after a wet New Zealand night. He played when fast bowlers were allowed (and encouraged) to bowl as many bouncers as they pleased and without helmets. Pads and gloves were much thinner back then than they are now, and no one had heard of chest or thigh pads or armguards.
People often say that bowlers bowl faster today. I once had the chance to speak with an elderly gentlemen in the SCG Members stand (my uncle had scored us some tickets) at the Ashes Test a few years ago. He was telling me about watching the Bodyline series as a young bloke. I asked him how fast Brett Lee was in comparison to Larwood and Voce. He didn’t hesitate in telling me that Larwood’s slowest balls were as fast as the quicker balls from these young blokes, and he was considerably more accurate. Voce wasn’t much slower either. And I see no reason to doubt him.

"Tendulkar is the best because I believe he is and I'm entitled to believe what I want. You can't tell me I'm wrong." You're right. If you believe something is right and aren't willing to see reason, I suppose I can't do anything about it. But by your logic, the lynchings carried out by the Ku Klux Klan were OK because they believed they were doing the right thing. Same with Hitler and the Holocaust. I know this is an extreme example, but that's the essence of that argument.

If you still want to debate this issue and you can present a coherent, reasoned argument, bring it. I'm happy to debate. But if you are just going to give me "Sachin IZ GOD and you are evil" bullshit, do me and the rest of the world a favour and piss off. ]]> dark_Shadow_ http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/dark_shadow_/master-don-781/ Wayne Bridge withdrawal from England squad http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/pav_001/wayne-bridge-withdrawal-england-squad-780/ Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:55:19 GMT England manager Fabio Capello has exposed he will attempt to talk Wayne Bridge about competing with the England squad in the 2010 world cup after the... England manager Fabio Capello has exposed he will attempt to talk Wayne Bridge about competing with the England squad in the 2010 world cup after the defender ruled himself out of the World Cup.

Bridge had earlier announced that his spot with England was “untenable” following the allegations that team-mate John Terry had an affair with the mother of his young son.

Regardless of Terry being stripped of the England captaincy, Bridge is reluctant to even weigh up sharing a dressing-room with the centre-back.

According to The Press Association, Capello said: "I was flying back from Milan when Wayne Bridge announced that he would not be with us for the Egypt match and also in South Africa for the World Cup.

"It surprised me, but I respect the decision of all the players, but the door is always open for him.

"We have time, there is still three months until I will decide my final squad for South Africa.

"I hope that Wayne Bridge will be with us at the World Cup, but I respect his decision."

Bridge’s decision now leaves England short of left-backs, as first choice Ashley Cole is currently injured, and Capello is refusing to close the door on the full-back who was strongly tipped for a berth in the squad.

With a few months left until England will have to choose the final squad they will try extremely hard to lure Bridge back.

The two ex best friends faced each other in Chelsea vs Manchester City, before the match Bridge refused to shake Terrys hand indicating that what happened will most likely never be forgiven. After this incident Bridge was constantly booed by the Chelsea fans and was hurled abuse by fans on the sidelines but in the end it was Bridge with the last laugh as Man City defeated Chelsea convincingly 4-2



Discuss your thoughts here! ]]> Pav_001 http://www.sticksports.com/blogs/pav_001/wayne-bridge-withdrawal-england-squad-780/